Hello everyone, nice to be uploading again. And this was originally my first sprint fic but it ended up being longer than I intended and I didn't finish the sprint fic on time. But I really liked this fanfic so I decided to finish it regardless.
The prompt for the sprint fic was "But one of them is a ghost" and I wanted to write another dead mother single father AU. The first time I wrote one I posted it on my tumblr...I wanted to write another one that was longer.
So without further ado...
Disclaimer: Miraculous Ladybug belongs to Thomas Astruc and ZAGToon. This is just a fanfic written by a fan.
Sleeping on one side of the bed was hard, even years later for Luka Couffaine.
Ever since he met Marinette, she was the love of his life, and when they got older, they would sleep beside each other and be at peace.
But ever since the day Marinette died from giving birth to their only daughter Luka had to be strong.
Although as strong as he can be in day-to-day life, most of the time he still went to bed at night imagining she was still beside him.
When his daughter Marina was younger, she would sometimes sleep next to him, but Marina was 12 now and going on 13. She was growing up right before his eyes.
With the anniversary of Marinette's death and his daughter's birthday, Luka couldn't help but feel this overwhelming longing. And he couldn't help but think about what could have been if Marina had her mother with her. Luka was only one man and tried his best every day for his daughter. He only hoped his best was enough.
As quiet as it was in the bedroom, Luka didn't know that a lonely ghost lay beside him.
Marinette couldn't help but mourn as well, even if she was in the safety of the afterlife. Sometimes a ghost needs to sleep beside her husband. Even if Luka couldn't see her, she hoped that he could feel her. Because she didn't want her kind-hearted husband to be heartbroken.
Luka eventually closed his eyes after lying awake for so long. Marinette looked at her pained husband and moved in closer to nuzzle against him even if he couldn't feel her touch. She kissed him on the forehead and then on the lips as hopeless as it was.
She tried to lace her hand with his, and eventually she fell asleep as well.
Luka woke up in his dream and found himself surrounded by flowers and underneath a million stars. He stood up and started to walk around, taking in all the beautiful surroundings. This lucid dream certainly was freeing.
He could almost forget the loneliness he held in his heart for so long. Luka wished he had his guitar so he could just lay down and play.
And then he heard the sound of familiar humming. Humming one of his songs.
Luka had to follow the sound of the sweet sincere voice that filled the meadow. The melody faded in and out as Luka rushed to find it, And then a woman with dark hair turned to him. She was just as breathless to see him as he was to see her.
"Marinette!"
Marinette gave him a sad smile as she held out her arms. "Luka…"
Luka wasted no time running into her arms. He could feel her! Even if her body was still a bit ghostly. Signifying that she was of the spirit world and he was still part of the world of the living. But he still cried happy tears on her shoulder, and Marinette gently rubbed his back.
They continued to hold each other. Forgetting everything else and just living in each other's embrace. But when Luka loosened his hold, he smiled down on her with tears still in his eyes as he placed his hand on her cheek.
"I just want to stay like this forever," he said.
Marinette smiled back, but then a realization dawned on her, and the sadness showed in her eyes. She tried to not fall apart in front of him, so she placed her hands on her husband's chest and looked him in the eye.
"I am always with you, Luka," She said.
Luka couldn't accept anything else at the moment. He embraced her again and held her close. Everything else faded away at that moment.
Luka smiled in his sleep until he woke up in the dead of night, realizing Marinette wasn't there.
Sometimes sleeping just helped him avoid the pain for a while, but he couldn't have that line of thinking when he had a daughter and other people that needed him.
So in the dark, Luka took his guitar that was leaning against a big speaker. He walked onto the balcony, and with the moonlight as the spotlight, he started playing gentle chords.
"Somehow it moved me."
"Your love has powers over me."
"Oh what dream is this?"
"Somehow it towers over me."
Little did Luka know as he sang his song, the door to his bedroom was cracked open, and Marina stood there. Her heart broke for her father as even though it was sad that she never knew her mother, her father would never be with his true love ever again.
"Oh Papa…" The young girl cried softly.
"Send your love to move me."
"My world has powered over me."
"In perfect ruins."
"Somehow it towers over me."
A week before his daughter's birthday, Luka was at the kitchen table with piles of paperwork. Dishes were overflowing in the sink, and Marina was busy folding sheets in the living room.
Luka did feel guilty as his daughter was taking on the mother's role at such a young age. But it was hard to focus on paperwork when the anniversary of Marinette's death was coming.
Marina left the sheets on the couch and took it upon herself to clean the dishes in the sink and dry them the best she could. Eventually, her father turned to her and smiled.
Luka got off the seat and quietly walked up to her daughter, who was washing dishes as efficiently as she could. He caught her off guard by hugging her from behind with one strong arm.
"Papa!" She cried.
Luka kissed her daughter on the head as Marina tried to continue to wash dishes.
"Marina, my melody, you don't have to do all these chores," Luka said.
Marina turned and gave her father a serious look. "If I don't, there will be no dishes! And I don't mind! I don't want you to worry Papa!"
Marina gently pushed her father away and took care of the rest of the dishes.
"Really Marina, I was going to take you out to dinner," Luka said.
Marina stopped and turned to her father, looking frustrated. "You barely touched the paperwork! And we don't need any more takeout! I'll go completely nuts if we have any more takeout!"
Luka was about to stop her, but Marina quickly ran out of the kitchen to grab her bike helmet.
"I am going to buy ingredients for hot pot!" Marina cried from her bedroom.
"Marina!" Luka cried.
Marina said nothing as she walked out of her bedroom, rolling out her bike.
Luka was about to place his hand on his daughter's shoulder, but she turned to him again. Her blue eyes were serious, but then they filled with sorrow.
"I just want you to feel better, Papa."
Luka was about to order his daughter again. But Marina opened the door and hauled herself and her bike out, shutting the door quickly to prevent further argument.
Luka nearly opened the door, but his phone notified him and he picked it up.
"Just trust me Papa!" Marina texted him.
Luka placed his hand on his forehead and leaned against the wall.
"I am so sorry you have to go through all this, Marina," Luka said woefully.
But Marina was as determined as ever as she rode her bike on the sidewalk.
Marina rushed along the grocery aisles, getting all their favorite ingredients for hot pot.
Eventually her phone rang and she thought it was her father. But it was really her best friend, Erina Tsurugi-Agreste.
Marina smiled as she looked at her phone.
"Marina, I am so sorry!" Said the text.
"I tried to get my parents to excuse me, and I tried to make a good excuse to get out, but they are making me do everything! Piano lessons! Karate lessons! Ballet lessons! I just want to help you out today! Something more important!"
Marina texted her back with "It's ok" and a smiley emoji. She didn't want her best friend dragged into making dinner and ensuring all the chores were done.
"Well, I am still going to try to get out early anyway! I want to be there for you and Uncle Luka! In fact, I will try to climb out the window now! I love you, Marina-Chan!" Erina texted.
Marina giggled at the thought, but she didn't have much more time to talk because she needed to get the groceries home.
"I love you too! Erina-Chan!" Marina texted back as she headed for the cash register aisles.
The usual cashier smiled down at Marina, noting how big she had gotten since she was a baby. How her father had come to this Asian grocer ever since she was born.
And Marina was certainly old enough to get groceries. Being without a mother made her grow up faster.
"I wish you and your father the very best," the cashier said.
Marina giggled. "We're fine Monsieur! Life may not be perfect, but at least we have each other."
But it's not like Marina didn't think about what it would be like if her mother was still in her life. But life mainly had been just her and her dad, so she wasn't so much heartbroken as she was thinking something was missing. Sometimes she would look at pictures of her Papa with her Mama and imagine what she was like.
Marina gave one last goodbye to the cashier before exiting the store. At the bike rack, she took special care to make sure all groceries were safely in the basket.
She didn't want her father to starve to death, so she took it upon herself to take a few "shortcuts" and do a few slick bike tricks. The young girl was turning 13 very soon, and she was going to be in bicycle races and skateboarding tournaments one day.
She rode tightly between some parked cars and headed back to the sidewalk. The sidewalk was safe, and the drivers didn't have to yell at her. She was on an important mission!
Just a little bit further, and Marina would be ready to make a nice soothing hot pot at home. Or at least she could try. The last few hot pots didn't turn out quite right, she admitted.
One last cut across the street would make this a lot quicker.
And she did narrowly avoid the cars. They didn't need to beep at her. Yes, she was a reckless tomboy, but she always made sure never to harm anyone. And she apologized as she rode by.
Marina was back on the sidewalk, and the sunlight shined beautifully. Almost too bright! She couldn't exactly see where she was going, but she kept her wits about her.
Then she heard tires screeching and the sound of yelling from multiple obnoxious boys.
"Move it!" Cried a stranger.
Marina was about to shift her gears, but she felt multiple boys around her age slamming into her on their own bikes with no remorse. She regained her vision for a moment and saw the blue sky above her as she fell backward off her bike. The hot pot ingredients were flying above her, and she and the ingredients fell on the concrete.
Marina was dazed. She would've got up and yelled at the boys who crashed into her, but she was hurt even though she was wearing her helmet.
"Marina!"
Marina knew that voice. Erina finally showed up, but everything was blurry in front of her. She felt Erina cradle her in her arms, but Marina's back, shoulders, and hands stung.
"Marina! Oh no!"
Marina could hear Erina calling to her, but Erina's voice sounded muffled, and her face was blurred. The sunlight was getting too bright.
Marina was starting to think she was drifting off because she began to imagine a woman with dark hair smiling above her and stroking her cheek.
A woman with dark hair and bluebell eyes that looked similar to the woman in the old photographs.
"Marina...Marina, my daughter." The woman said to her.
Marina could barely produce words right now, but she managed to utter one word.
"Mama…"
She felt Erina hold her closer, but she could still see her mother.
"Marina, you are growing so big," Marinette said.
And with that, Marina's heart could barely take such weirdness and her eyes closed.
"Marina!" Erina cried again.
Erina grabbed her phone, but before she could call an ambulance she heard a familiar cry.
"Marina!" Luka cried as he sprinted to his daughter's side. "Oh god!" He quickly cradled his daughter into his arms.
Marina flinched a little, so Luka knew his daughter was still alive. Oh how he regretted letting his daughter get groceries on her own.
"Uncle Luka! I can call an ambulance!" Erina cried.
Luka picked up his daughter. "It's ok Erina! I can't leave my daughter alone!" And then Luka ran to the hospital with his daughter in his arms.
"Uncle Luka…" Erina cried.
Luka ran so fast, ignoring the fact that he was panting heavily and his heart was pounding. Thankfully some drivers noticed the urgency of the situation and allowed him to run by.
"You're my daughter." Luka thought. "You're my precious only daughter! The only daughter Marinette and I could ever have before we were forced apart."
"I can't lose you too Marina! I wouldn't be able to take it!"
When Marina woke up, she certainly didn't expect to wake up in an area of endless blue skies and fields of flowers. She woke up dumbfounded. The last thing she remembered was her being on stone-hard concrete. Marina couldn't help but get lost in all the beautiful sights around her.
She wished her father was here to play the guitar.
Her father.
Oh god! Was her father alright?!
Marina quickly got up, and a few flowers flew in her direction and landed on her. Then she heard the sound of a cute giggle.
Marina's heart jumped as she realized she wasn't alone wherever she was. But she wasn't sure who's beautiful melody of a voice was that. It wasn't Erina, or Aunt Kagami, or Aunt Juleka, or Aunt Rose.
"Marina!"
Marina quickly turned, and she saw a beautiful woman wearing an angelic dress. She had dark hair and bluebell eyes. She looked just like her!
"Mama?" Marina said, breathless.
The woman smiled at her.
Marina still felt that maybe she hit her head a bit too hard.
"Is that really you?" Marina asked.
Marinette walked closer to her young daughter and held out her hands. Marina slowly reached out for her mother and hesitated, but then she took her mother's hand, and Marina started to sob from incoming tears.
"Oh my god!" Marina cried.
At long last, Marina could finally hug her own mother, and Marinette held her daughter so gently as she allowed her to cry.
But soon those tears from happiness turned into sorrow.
"Mama, you have no idea how happy I am to see you!" Marina said as she continued to sob. "But how can I die when I haven't turned 13 yet?"
Marinette lifted her daughter's chin so she could look up to her. She gave her daughter a reassuring smile.
"You're not dead, my dear."
That didn't help the fact that Marina continued to cry. She hugged her mother even tighter now and cried into her chest.
"But I don't want to leave you! You're my mother, and I love you!"
Marinette stroked her daughter's hair and kissed her on the forehead. Marina refused to let her mother go, but soon she woke up.
She woke up incredibly wide-eyed and in a hospital bed.
"Marina!"
Marina took a moment to catch her breath before her father wrapped his arms around her. "Thank god you're alright!" He cried.
"Papa…" Marina cried listlessly.
"Marina!" Erina cried. She was so enthusiastic that her best friend pulled through. Uncle Adrien and Aunt Kagami were right beside her, feeling incredibly relieved.
Luka let go of Marina as the doctor came in looking pleased.
"Well as I said, your daughter was just knocked out." The doctor said.
Marina was incredibly bewildered. That was more than just a knockout. Wrestling matches at school were knockouts!
"She should be just fine," the doctor continued.
Marina blinked a few times. "Papa!"
Luka quickly turned to his daughter and placed his hands on her shoulders. "What's wrong Marina?"
Marina wasn't sure how to say this, so she sucked in some breath.
"Papa! I saw Mama!" She blurted out.
Luka stiffened up a bit before blinking. "You did?"
Marina ran her fingers through her hair. "I think while I was out of it Mama visited me."
Luka smiled down at her. Now it was Marina's turn to wonder if her father was ok. That was a wonderful dream, but it could've been the result of a concussion.
"Should I do another test?" The doctor asked.
Marina winced.
"No!" Luka insisted as he stroked his daughter's hair. "My daughter is fine. She is back to her old self."
The doctor frowned. "Alright. But please come back if you are concerned. We would be more than happy to see if your daughter is doing well."
Erina then got up. "All Marina needs is hot pot! Right Marina?"
"Erina!" Aunt Kagami cried.
"Erina! This isn't the time for that!" Uncle Adrien cried sternly.
Between her father smiling again and Erina making jokes, Marina managed to smile as well.
"Of course I need hot pot!" Marina said. "And I'll make a delicious hot pot for all of us to eat!"
Marina felt, deep down, that maybe her mother could join them. In spirit.
"Marina!" Luka cried. "You're going to rest when you get home!"
Marina gave her own father an offended look. "But Papa! I don't like being bedridden!"
Yes everything was returning to normal with the usual family shenanigans and laughter.
But life certainly changed for Marina when she realized she could feel her mother watching over her and loving her.
It was so strange after living her entire life without her mother.
A few days later, Marina still thought about the dream she had of her mother.
She tried to draw it with colored pencils, but she couldn't quite get it to look as beautiful. She couldn't really draw her mother after such a brief meeting.
Eventually her father knocked on the door frame.
"Can I come in?" Luka asked.
Marina put down her drawing and took the colored pencil out of her mouth. "Come in papa!"
Luka was beaming as he sat on the bed next to his daughter. Marina giggled as Luka wrapped his arm around her.
"You know, you look more like your mother each day," Luka said.
Marina gave a sheepish smile as she glanced at the halfway decent picture she drew of her mother.
"Oh Papa, Mama was far more beautiful than me!"
Luka took a moment to play with his daughter's blue hair. "But you are as beautiful as your mother."
Marina sighed. "You know I don't look good in skirts. I am probably going to spend my birthday wearing plain dress clothes."
Luka playfully poked his tomboyish daughter on the forehead, causing his daughter to yelp. Then Luka smiled down on her.
"That's why I am here, To give you an early birthday gift. Something your mother wanted you to have when you turn 13."
Marina gasped. "Something from Mama?"
Luka nodded, and Marina quickly got off her bed.
"Well what are we waiting for?" Marina cried as she used what little tae kwon do skills she had to pull her father off the bed. Her father laughed and picked up the pace for his energetic daughter as usual.
Marina sat on her father's bed, vibrating in anticipation as her father looked through the closet.
"Your mother wore this when she was your age. She was a professional fashion designer even at such a young age."
Now Marina was starting to become a bit jealous. She was almost 13, and she wasn't a professional skateboarder yet.
"She even made some awesome outfits for your old man! Like an amazing royal blue tuxedo that sadly doesn't fit me anymore!"
That caused Marina to quirk an eyebrow. She would love to wear her father's old clothes, but there was a two-year age difference between her parents.
"Here it is!" Luka said as he walked out of the big closet with a pink dress in hand. A pink dress with big ruffles that Marina admitted looked nice. Not exactly the type of clothes Marina would wear, but she had to admit her mother was really skilled at sewing clothes.
Luka sat down next to his daughter with the dress in his hands. Marina didn't say anything, not that she disliked the dress. She just didn't know how to convey her feelings.
"I know this isn't your style Marina," Luka said. "But I think it would look amazing on you." He said as he lifted the dress up in front of his daughter, trying to imagine.
"And it would make your mother happy."
Luka gave his daughter the dress, and Marina felt the fabric between her fingers. It did feel like something that would fit her body perfectly. And as shameless as it was, Marina tried to take the scent of the handmade dress, even if the dress was decades old.
Then again, Marina felt she could faintly smell the scent of a Chinese orchid.
Luka looked so overjoyed, seeing Marina with Marinette's dress.
Marina then held the dress close to her heart as if she was holding her mother again.
"Papa, I love this dress!" Marina cried. "And I will make it work!"
Luka placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "That's my girl!"
Marina took a moment to twirl around with the dress in her hands, and Luka felt his own heart overflow thinking about how much he loved his daughter.
But with the blink of an eye, Luka nearly had a heart attack as he thought he saw his wife standing next to his daughter. He then saw Marinette turn to him, giving him an almost teasing smile.
Then she faded, and Marina turned to her father in confusion.
"Papa, what's wrong?" She asked.
Luka caught his breath again. These events were starting to get truly weird.
Luka shook his head. "Nothing's wrong Marina."
The night of the concert, Marina walked beside her father feeling absolutely jumpy. She knew she had to be careful wearing her mother's old dress, but she just couldn't help herself. She was never good at being proper in a dress.
They walked up to Erina, who was busy talking to Uncle Adrien.
"Erina, your Uncle Luka and I always play our instruments together," Adrien said.
"Tou-San!" Erina cried. "I practiced piano every day! I need to play on stage at one point!"
Marina smiled at the idea of her best friend playing piano on stage with the band.
"Erina-Chan!" Marina cried.
Erina quickly forgot about the little disagreement she had with her father and turned at the sound of Marina's voice.
"Hey Mari-Ahh!"
Marina smiled as she bashfully showed off the pink dress she was wearing.
"Marina!" Erina cried. The Japanese girl ran to Marina and took her hands.
"Marina, you look…." Erina took a moment to catch her breath. "So different!"
Marina smirked and shrugged. "It belonged to my mother." She let out a sigh. "I am not sure if I could ever fill her shoes, though."
And Marina always felt Erina was more suited for dresses and modeling.
"So I hear your daughter wants to play the piano tonight," Luka said with a bit of intrigue.
Adrien gave Luka a deadpan expression. "She is still too young for that Luka."
Erina heard her father's comment and quickly moved to the ebony piano, where she played an abridged version of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
Marina was speechless for a moment, knowing Erina practiced piano a lot. But she had no idea Erina was so dedicated.
Erina played the last notes and smiled in satisfaction. Marina clapped her hands in applause.
"That was great Erina!" Marina cried as she continued to clap.
Erina smirked before moving her fingers through her hair. "I know right?"
Luka smiled at Adrien. "I think your daughter has what it takes."
Adrien sighed. "Luka…"
Erina quickly flipped through the sheet music. "I can do it Tou-San! The song is called 'Hymn for the Missing, ' right?"
Erina found the page and then placed her hands on the piano keys to play the somber tune. Marina couldn't help but close her eyes and take in how Erina should honestly join a symphony with how good she was playing.
When Erina finished playing a sample, her own father became speechless.
Adrien thought for a moment, and his daughter and Marina gave him pleading eyes.
"Alright," Adrien said in defeat. "But I will be on stage just in case."
Erina and Marina squealed in triumph. Both of them showed Adrien their gratitude.
"I will be on stage too Uncle Adrien. It will be fine!" Marina said.
Both girls grabbed an arm to hug Adrien and Adrien admitted it was really sweet.
"I'm so excited!" Erina cried. "Thank you, Tou-San!"
As the concert was starting, Marina and Erina felt a rush as they sat at the piano together and heard the sounds from the crowd. Luka walked up to the spotlight and took the microphone.
"Good evening everyone," Luka said. The crowd cheered as Luka smiled and waited for the cheering to soften.
"I would like to thank you all for coming tonight. Especially since today is my daughter Marina's birthday, and this birthday is her 13th."
Marina smirked after being doted on by her rockstar father. Erina smiled at her and hooked her arm to Marina's before pulling her into a hug.
"Words cannot express how happy and proud to see my daughter grow up before my very eyes. But even though this is a milestone birthday, it is also the anniversary of when her mother died giving birth to her."
The crowd was silent, and Luka couldn't help it as one tear rolled down his face.
"So before we celebrate, I want to sing a song dedicated to Marinette. An amazing woman who was taken far too soon. The love of my life and my soulmate no matter how much time passes."
Erina squeezed Marina tighter as Marina couldn't help but tear up as well.
"Because life is amazing," Luka started. "I have my daughter and my friends and family. I live life to the fullest because I know that's what Marinette would have wanted. But sometimes, I also have to mourn."
Luka paused as he took a breath, being unable to fight a few more tears. He brought the microphone close to his lips.
"I miss you, Marinette," he whispered.
Luka then turned the piano, smiling and nodding as Erina started playing the piano. The spotlights on stage started to turn blue, and Marina silently watched her father.
"Tried to walk together, but the night was growing dark…."
"Thought you were beside me but I reached and you were gone."
Marina couldn't help but feel all her repressed feelings at once with Erina playing the somber music and her father singing with so much feeling under the blue lights.
"Sometimes I feel you calling from some lost and distant shore…."
"I hear you crying softly for the way it was before…."
Just then, Aunt Rose sang angelic chords that really drove the song home as Luka grabbed the mic again.
"Where are you now?"
"Are you lost?"
"Will I find you again?"
"Are you alone?"
"Are you afraid?"
"Are you searching for me?"
"Why did you go?"
"I had to stay."
"Now I'm reaching for you."
"Will you wait?"
"Will you wait?"
"Will I see you again?"
The lights changed, and the instrumental verse started playing. Marina felt herself vibrate as Erina picked up the pace. Luka walked away from the mic and let the instrument verse play as Aunt Rose sang the most beautiful and heart-wrenching angelic chords in the world.
Marina couldn't help but place her hands on her heart as she let the music fill her mind. Music that moved her. She opened her eyes and looked at the standing mic in the spotlight and couldn't help but get off the piano bench and walk up there.
Even if the last verse was supposed to be a piano instrumental, Marina felt something inside her as she listened to the music play. Under the spotlight, she took the microphone off the stand as the final verse started playing.
"Where are you now?"
"Are you lost?"
"Will I find you again?"
Luka broke out of his sorrow and gasped at the sound of his daughter singing on stage. Erina was stunned as well, but she pulled herself together so she wouldn't botch the instrumental music.
"Are you alone?"
"Are you afraid?"
"Are you searching for me?"
His daughter looked stunning on stage. Singing with her own set of angelic chords and wearing her mother's dress. Luka couldn't be more proud. But then a familiar ghostly woman appeared next to his daughter.
"Why did you go?"
"I had to stay."
"Now I'm reaching for you…."
Marina was unaware her mother was smiling at her. But she was yearning for a familiar warmth, which is why she was singing so passionately right now.
"Will you wait?"
"Will you wait?"
"Will I see you again?"
Luka smiled as the final piano chords played. Both his daughter and his wife glowed in the spotlight.
Marinette smiled and nodded as she faded. The final chord played, and the audience cheered as Marina felt a bit flustered.
"Thanks everyone!" Marina cried through the mic. "I know that wasn't planned, but that was fun!"
A few more cheers came from the crowd. Marina's friends in particular praised Marina as they chanted her name.
"God, I hope I didn't ruin the show," Marina whispered slightly, realizing her out loud thought went into the mic as she blushed in embarrassment.
Luka felt so proud, and Erina clapped wildly even though she was at the piano.
"Wooo! Great job Marina!" Erina cried.
After the concert, Marina and all her friends danced together. It was a real event having all Marina's skater friends dancing in pairs, and Marina couldn't be happier. She and Erina held hands and danced in circles.
"Marina, your singing was amazing!" Erina cried. "I was so hypnotized!"
Marina took a moment to smile and shake her head. "No Erina, you were amazing!" She said before pulling Erina closer. "I wouldn't have been able to sing without you playing the piano."
The two girls rested their foreheads together and sighed dreamily. Adrien, Kagami, and Luka watched from a distance.
"Your daughter did great, Adrien. She is as talented as you are," Luka said.
Adrien was still a stubborn father, but he was also moved by Erina's piano playing.
"Well, I guess she is almost as skilled as me," Adrien smirked. "But she still has to practice a lot."
Kagami smiled and stroked her husband's chin causing his peridot eyes to sparkle.
"Your daughter is cut from the same cloth as you, be proud dear husband," Kagami said before kissing her husband on the cheek.
Adrien quickly wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her in so she was sitting on his lap. "Well she is as beautiful and talented as my dear wife as well," he said before kissing Kagami on the cheek.
"Perhaps our two girls can perform together," Kagami said.
"As long as they don't get into trouble!" Adrien added.
Luka chuckled. "I would like nothing more."
"We have made the most beautiful talented daughters after all," Adrien said, feeling a bit of pride and joy of his own.
"But if they ever get in trouble somewhere around the world, a private jet is only a heartbeat away!" Adrien cried.
Kagami soothed her husband once again.
Luka smiled. He always supported Adrien and Kagami's relationship. No need to be jealous. Marinette would want him to be the happiest man alive.
"Chin up Luka," Adrien said.
It appeared as both of them didn't want to rub it in Luka's face as they knew how hard it could be for him.
"I am sure Marinette is more than proud of both of you," Kagami said.
Kagami let out a sigh remembering. Marinette was her best friend, and it felt like just yesterday. Adrien nuzzled Kagami against him, and they took a moment to be silent.
Luka turned to his daughter again and noticed how beautiful Marina and Erina looked together. Dancing a slow dance without a care in the world.
But Luka's face turned into a wide smile when he saw Marina and Erina share a kiss.
Luka couldn't help but chuckle when Adrien let out a small cry of distress.
"Oh, my daughter is growing up so fast!" Adrien panicked.
Kagami giggled before stroking her husband's cheek in reassurance.
"Marina has always been good to our daughter Adrien," Kagami said gently.
Adrien was still worried, but he did soften up over the idea of their two daughters being in love.
It reminded Luka so much of something. The feeling of falling in love.
Just then, the wind whistled in his ears, and he gasped to see Marinette's ghostly figure standing beside him, almost as if she snuck up on him! She honestly needed to be a bit more mindful about showing up out of nowhere.
Marinette watched Marina and Erina with a smile of approval, and Luka was breathless as she turned to him. Still as beautiful as ever with bluebell eyes shining at him.
Marinette hugged Luka's arm and rested her head against him. Luka smiled down on her, feeling so much comfort that she was here to see this.
Marinette stayed with him at that moment. Both of them smiled proudly at their daughter. When Marina and Erina broke their kiss, Marina turned to her father, thinking he probably saw her and Erina, but Marina ended up gasping.
She could see it clearly! Her mother held on to her father, and the two of them smiled together.
Marina wanted this night to last forever, and she wanted to believe for a moment that she could wake up one day from a dream and find her mother alive with them.
That night, Marina stayed up late trying to draw her father and mother together, but she heard chuckling from her opened door.
She didn't expect her father to be awake as well. Marina tip-toed out of her room and listened closely, and heard her father chuckling as if he was young and in love.
"I could never stop loving you Marinette. No matter how much time passes. And I am not ashamed to admit it."
Marina had her back against the door as she held her hand over her heart.
The love her parents shared truly had no boundaries. Marina didn't bother her father that night, but behind the door, Luka was smiling and laughing as he lay next to his ghostly wife.
The two of them were together again, even if it was just for tonight.
Marinette smiled brightly as she laid beside her husband. Luka placed his hand on her cheek, even if he couldn't truly feel her.
Not that that mattered.
They whispered in the dark all night as Luka told all the amazing stories he had of fatherhood and being a famous musician. Marinette told him all the stories of when she visited Marina when she was only a baby. Even if she wasn't physically there, she still helped Marina walk on her own feet for the first time.
Luka was grateful that Marinette was always beside them. He didn't want to sleep as he wanted to lay beside Marinette all night, but eventually sleep overcame him. When Luka fell silent and breathed softly, Marinette moved closer to kiss him gently on the lips.
She wrapped her arms around him before resting her head against her chest, and to Marinette's surprise, he smiled in his sleep and moved his arms so he was hugging her too.
Luka was at peace tonight, and so was she. They would always go on together no matter what.
"Goodnight my love," Marinette whispered.
"May you always have sweet dreams."
Thanks for reading!
The two songs featured here are "Perfect Ruin" by Kwabs and "Hymn for the Missing" by Red.
For a little trivia I was originally going to make Marina a delinquent and her first dream encounter with her mother was going to happen because she was spending time with her gangster friends and she got injured. But this fanfic started as a sprint fic and I had to act quickly and changed it to Marina being a much more behaved girl...Yeah, not very original but I didn't feel like changing it.
Thanks again for reading and I will see all of you again later!